Monte Vista Christian announces new arts building plan

Monte Vista Christian School is announcing plans to build a new performing arts building on its 105-acre campus in Watsonville.

“Plans for this facility have been in the works for over sixty years,” said Dr. Mitchell Salerno, the head of school for MVC. “We are thrilled to provide this 16,600 square foot facility to serve students and families by providing a multipurpose performance space that can seat up to 450, as well as a state-of-the-art performance stage.”

The building will be called the Don Price Performing Arts Chapel, after the school’s second head of school and the son of founder R.O. Price. It will cost $10 million.

In an email sent to alumni, Salerno says Don Price longed to see a performing arts center on campus. The building will include two large classrooms for the school’s choir and instrumental programs.

Construction is scheduled to start on or around October 1, depending on how long it takes Santa Cruz County to complete the permit reviews.

The school, founded in 1926, says the building will take about 18 months to complete, and students can likely start using the classrooms in the 2020-2021 school year.

The S Building classrooms at the school will also be demolished to make room for the new performing arts building.

Groundbreaking ceremonies are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. on the future site of the building.

For more details about the plan, you can visit the school’s website here.